Mounting means for sub-floor pump



Jan. 10, 1967 A. L. NIELSEN 3,296,971

MOUNTING MEANS FOR SUB-FLOOR PUMP Original Filed Jan. 21, 1963 4AXEL L. NIELSEN United States Patent 3,280,97l Patented Jan. 10, 1967 I 3,296,971 -MOUNTllNG MEANS FOR UB-FlL0-it PUMP Axel L. Nielsen, 1316 E. Eliza,

; Hazel Park, Mich. 48030 Original application Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,712, now Patent No. 3,246,606, dated Apr. 19, 1966. Divided and this application Sept. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 484,396

11 Claims. (Cl. 103102) The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 252,712, filed January 21, 1963, now Patent No. 3,246,606, which in turn is a continuationin-part of an earlier application, Serial No. 851,749, filed November 9, 1959, now Letters Patent No. 3,093,083 of June 11, 1963.

,The above mentioned patent and application have as their subjects matter a pump inserta-ble in a domestic or industrial floor riser or like upright liquid-receiving casing, this pump unit having an intake well down in the casing and an above-floor impeller housing to discharge liquid from the riser to an external disposal point. The liquid intake to the impeller housing is through a vertically elongated tubular intake extension from a rapid-priming impeller housing positioned in the riser; and the present invention deals with improved means for the purpose of fixedly, yet vertically adjustably, mounting the pump unit to the riser or like casing adjacent the top thereof.

In accordance with the invention, a pump unit of the above description has combined therewith an expanding plug engageable with the interior of the casing or riser adjacent its top, and manipulated entirely from above the floor to expand into gripping engagement with the riser. Such plug is provided with a flange resting upon said riser top to further vertically locate and sustain the pump unit in regard to the position of its intake in the riser.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved plug of this description and for this purpose.

Inasmuch as the rapid priming pump unit, as described in my above identified patent and application, carries a pressure-responsive switch unit on the lower, primer housing thereof, and the above-floor, main pump housing is adapted to be communicated downwardly to a point within the riser (for example, adjacent the intake of the primer pump and well below the level of liquid in the riser) by means of an upright air bleeder tube or conduit, the improved plug unit of the invention has provision to internally accommodate such tube or conduit means, as well as electrical Wiring from the pressure-responsive switch unit to electrical connections for the drive motor of the pump unit.

The foregoing as Well as other objects will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a pressureresponsive pump unit equipped with a mounting plug unit in accordance with the invention; and

' FIG. 2 is a view in vertical and axial section through the pump and plug units, further illustrating component structural means and arrangements of those units, as applied to a coventional riser illustrated in dot-dash line.

The pump unit of the invention, generally designated 10, is a dual impeller, self-priming one adapted to be mounted to the usual basement floor riser 11, or other 'known liquid accumulating receptacle or casing, by means of the improved expanding plug unit 12 of the invention, hereinafter described in detail. The riser 11 may communicate with a city sewer system through the usual trap.

The reference numeral 13 generally designates an above-floor pump of the unit 10, including an impeller housing 14 encasing a centrifugal impeller 15 driven by a drive shaft 18. Housing 14 includes various shaft sealing means above the impeller which are not germane to the invention, hence are only generally designated 20. An appropriate coupling 21 connects the upper end of impeller shaft 18 with the shaft of a suitable electric motor 22.

The impeller housing 14 is completed by a centrally aperture bottom plate 24 having a tubular, downwardly extending axial boss into which is threaded the upper end of a tubular intake extension 25 of the pump unit 10.

Extension 25 is a vertically elongated one, having its lower end threaded into the top of a bottom tubular priming impeller housing 26 which is of generally doubleconical cross section. Impeller shaft 18 extends centrally downwardly through secondary impeller housing 26, and adjacent the lower end thereof the shaft has a centrifugal secondary or priming impeller 27 secured thereto.

Housing 26 is completed by a centrally apertured bottom intake plate 28 fixedly teiescoped upwardly therein, and plate 28 has a downwardly exposed intake mouth 29 through which liquid is pumped upwardly into the eye of priming impeller 27.

The intake plate 28 of the priming impeller housing is formed to provide an integral tubular, downwardly extending boss or sleeve portion 31, which receives a bushing 32 in which the lower end of shaft 18 is journaled. Boss 31 also serves as an internal pilot upon which a bottom pressure-sensitive device, generally designated 33, is fixedly mounted, The pressure-responsive device 33 includes an integral switch housing portion affording a chamber 34 within which a normally open motor control switch 35 is fixedly mounted.

A control diaphragm 36 extends across the bottom of housing chamber 34, being liquid-tight clamped in place by an apertured lower housing part 37; and the part 37 has a tubular central mouth 38 opening downwardly, hence exposed to a liquid in the riser 11 well beneath the intake mouth 43 of impeller housing 37.

An electrical conduit or cable 40 extends through a liquid-tight fitting of the switch housing to being electrical leads within the switch chamber 34, where they are suitably wired to switch 35. The cable 40 is such as to serve also as an air line to communicate switch chamber 34 with atmospheric pressure above the floor level. In order to accommodate the cable 40 in the radial sense and permit its insertion along with primer housing 26 into a riser 11 of limited diameter only a trifle greater than that of the housing, and also to similarly accommodate a bleeder or vent tube, to be described, the wall of impeller housing 26 is recessed inwardly to provide a vertical external groove 41 in this portion, in which cable 40 and the mentioned bleeder tube are disposed, being secured therein by a suitable band 42 encircling housing 26.

The electrical cable 40 extends upwardly and opens into a suitable compartment 44 mounted on the impeller housing part 24, as do further electrical cable means 45 connected to a master switch means (not shown) and to the motor 22, thereby affording a manual master control through which the motor can also be energized.

The invention as described in my above-identified patent and application contemplates the use of means for bleeding or venting air from the interior of the abovefloor impeller housing 14 as the pump comes into operation. Thus, the upper part of impeller housing 14 is shown as provided with a radially extending passage 47 in its top wall, which passage opens downwardly through a bleeder port 48 to the housing interior. The passage 47 is connected exteriorly of housing 14 with a bleeder tube 49 which in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, as shown in solid line in FIG. 2, is an open tube or flow conduit brought downwardly from the housing 14 to a terminal, downwardly opening mouth at 51} which is approximately at the level of the intake mouth 29 to the priming impeller housing 26. The mouth 50 will therefore always be beneath the minimum expected liquid level in riser Ill.

In another embodiment, shown and described in my copending application identified above, the bleeder tube may be controlled by a check valve (not shown). Such tube is designated 49, and need not be brought down as far as the tube 49 to prevent sucking of air when the pump unit 13 primes, since this is taken care of by its check valve, as described in said application. However, both tubes 49 and 49' are brought into riser 11 through the plug unit 12. j

The reference numeral 51 (FIG, 1) designates the dis charge mouth or opening of the main pump housing 14, which is appropriately connected by any suitable discharge line (not shown) to the exterior of the building, or to an existing sewer line downstream of a trap.

The mounting plug unit 12 of the invention includes an upper annular mounting plate or disk 52 of circular shape in a diameter adapting it to rest about its periphery upon the top of the riser 11. Plate 52 is provided with a central aperture 53 receiving the tubular extension 25 of pump unit 13, this aperture also being formed to provide an enlarged bay portion 54 through which the electrical cable 40 and the bleeder tube 49 or 49 are brought downwardly into the interior of the riser. Plate 52 is formed with an integral, axially extending semi-flange or boss 55 (FIG. 2) through which one or more set screws 56 threadedly extend radially into clamping engagement with tubular extension 25. Thus, the pump unit 13 may be adjusted vertically relative to the plug 12 and its top plate 52, hence relative to riser 11, and may be clamped in adjusted position to determine as desired the elevation of the priming impeller housing 26 and pressure-sensitive device 33 in riser 11.

An expansible annular sealing sleeve 58 of rubber or like elastically deformable material constitutes a further component of the mounting plug unit 12. It surrounds tubular extension 25 concentrically, being disposed between the top plate 52 and a further centrally apertured backing plate or disk 59 beneath the plate 52; and plug unit 12 is completed by a plurality of elongated bolts or studs 60 disposed through bosses or enlargements 61 of the plate 52, being threaded into bottom boss formations 62 on the backing plate 59. Studs 60 extend through the bore of sleeve 53. Thus, as the bolts or studs 60 are taken up, the bottom plate is elevated and, since the annular resilient sleeve 58 substantially overlaps the plates 52 and 59, this will have the effect of bulging or bowing the sleeve 58 radially outwardly, as indicated in dotted line in FIG. 2. It thus takes expansive clamping engagement with the interior of the riser 11, so as to fixedly mount the pump unit to the latter, with the plate 52 resting on the riser top.

It is seen that the use of a plurality of individually tightenable bolts or studs 60 makes it possible with minimum effort and inconvenience to axially compress and radially expand the mounting and sealing sleeve 58 to grip the riser 11. This is done without need for dis turbing a desired angular positioning of the plug unit 12 relative to the pump unit 13, its external bleeder tube 49 or 49' and its electrical cable 40, all of which extend through the plug plate bay 54, nor of the angular relationship of the pump and plug assembly relative to the riser 11. The improved plug unit also enables the quick and easy positioning of the primer pump housing 11 vertically at any desired level in the riser.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor housing and an impeller in said housing driven by a shaft, said housing having a tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, and an expandable plug unit having means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit on the plug unit, said plug unit including an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit on the riser.

2. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor housing and an impeller in said housing driven by an upright shaft, said housing having an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, and an expandable plug unit having means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit on the plug unit, said plug unit including an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit on the riser, said last means and sleeve having provision to internally receive an elongated connection extending from said pump unit housing to a point in said riser beneath the plug unit.

3. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor housing and an impeller in said housing driven by an upright shaft, said housing having an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, and an expandable plug unit having means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit in vertically adjustable relation to and on the plug unit, said plug unit including an elastitically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit in adjusted vertical relation on the riser as determined by the adjusted relation of said units to one another.

4. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor housing and an impeller in said housing driven by an upright shaft, said housing having an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, an expandable plug unit having means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit in vertically adjustable relation to and on the plug unit, said plug unit including an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit in adjusted vertical relation on the riser as determined by the adjusted relation of said units to one another, said tubular intake member having an intake opening adjacent the bottom thereof for communication with said riser beneath said plug unit, and a pressure-sensitive device mounted on said intake member adjacent said intake opening.

5. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor housing and an impeller in said housing driven by an upright shaft, said housing having an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, an expandable plug unit having means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit in vertically adjustable relation to and on the plug unit, said plug unit including an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit in adjusted vertical relation on the riser as determined by the adjusted relation of said units to one another, said tubular intake member having an intake opening adjacent the bottom thereof for communication with said riser beneath said plug unit, and a pressure-sensitive device mounted on said intake member adjacent said intake opening, said sleeve and sleeve-engaging means of the plug unit having provision to internally receive an elongated connection extending from said pressure-sensitive device to a point above the plug unit, and to receive an elongated connection extending from said pump unit to a point below the plug unit.

6. In an expandable plug unit for use in the mounting to a floor riser or like upright liquid casing of a pump unit having an above-floor pump housing provided with an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, the improvement in accordance with which said plug unit surrounds said intake member and comprises means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit on the plug unit, said means including means for the adjustment of the position of the plug unit along said intake member, an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly receivable in said riser adjacent the top thereof, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit in adjusted vertical relation on the riser as determined by the adjusted relation of said units to one another, said sleeve and sleeve-engaging means of the plug unit having provision to internally receive an elongated connection extending to a point above the plug unit, and to receive an elongated connection extending from said pump unit to a point below the plug unit.

7. A plug unit in accordance with claim 6, in which said means engaging said sleeve surrounding said intake member comprises a pair of plates engaging said sleeve from above and below, and means coacting with said plates to adjustably compress said sleeve therebetween.

8. A plug unit in accordance with claim 6, in which said means engaging said intake member comprises a pair of plates surrounding the latter and engaging said sleeve from above and below, and means including threaded elements coacting with said plates to adjustably compress said sleeve therebetween.

9. In combination with a floor riser or like upright liquid casing, a pump unit having an above-floor hous- (5 ing and a driven impeller in said housing, said housing having an above-floor driven pump provided with an upright tubular intake member opening upwardly thereto, and an expandable plug unit mounting said pump to said riser, said plug unit surrounding said intake member Within the riser and comprising means engaging said intake member to support said pump unit on the plug unit, said means including mechanical means positioned adjacent the top of the plug unit to engage said intake member at a point above the riser for the adjustment of the position of the plug unit along said intake member, an elastically deformable sleeve telescopingly received in said riser adjacent the top of the latter, and means engaging said sleeve and adjustable to cause outward expansion of the latter to grip said riser and support said plug unit and said pump unit on the riser.

10. The combination of claim 9, in which said lastnamed means and sleeve have provision to internally receive an elongated connection extending from said pump unit housing to a point in said riser beneath the plug unit.

11. The combination of claim 9, in which said plug and pump units are supported in an adjustable, vertical relation to one another and to the riser as determined by an adjusted relation of said units to one another effected by said mechanical means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,415,586 5/1922 Layne et a1 103102 1,428,238 9/1922 Keating 103102 1,636,169 7/1927 Chambers 10387 1,651,537 12/1927 Montgomery et al. 285139 2,818,817 1/1958 Aulman 103-119 3,045,830 7/1962 Fulton 285139 3,093,083 6/1963 Nielsen 103102 FOREIGN PATENTS 415,187 8/1934 Great Britain.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner. HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A FLOOR RISER OR LIKE UPRIGHT LIQUID CASING, A PUMP UNIT HAVING AN ABOVE-FLOOR HOUSING AND AN IMPELLER IN SAID HOUSING DRIVEN BY A SHAFT, SAID HOUSING HAVING A TUBULAR INTAKE MEMBER OPENING UPWARDLY THERETO, AND AN EXPANDABLE PLUG UNIT HAVING MEANS ENGAGING SAID INTAKE MEMBER TO SUPPORT SAID PUMP UNIT ON THE PLUG UNIT, SAID PLUG UNIT INCLUDING AN ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE SLEEVE TELESCOPINGLY RECEIVABLE IN SAID RISER ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, AND MEANS ENGAGING SAID SLEEVE AND ADJUSTABLE TO CAUSE OUTWARD EXPANSION OF THE LATTER TO GRIP SAID RISER AND SUPPORT SAID PLUG UNIT AND SAID PUMP UNIT ON THE RISER. 